1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computing devices and more particularly to expanded icon functionality for use with a computing device.
2. Related Art
The use of computing devices such as, for example, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, mobile phone computers, and/or a variety of other computing devices known in the art, is becoming ubiquitous. With the rising popularity of mobile computing, users may interact with computing devices throughout their day in order to retrieve and/or provide information for a variety of reasons. As such interactions become more and more frequent, it becomes desirable to make those interactions as quick and efficient as possible.
One way in which user/computing device interactions have been made quicker and more efficient is through the use of icons, or graphical symbols, which may represent an application, a user-created shortcut, and/or a variety of other icon represented entities known in the art. The icons are then displayed on the computing device (e.g., by an operating system) for selection by the user. When a user wishes to use an application, shortcut, or other icon represented entity, they simply select the associated icon in order to provide instructions to the computing device to launch the application, open the shortcut, and/or otherwise execute instructions for a desired icon represented entity.
However, a user may still need to go through a number of manual steps each time an icon is selected. For example, a user that typically uses a particular function of an application regularly may need to go through the same repetitive steps each time they wish to access that application function: select the application icon, wait for the application to load, then navigate through the application until the particular function is available. In another example, a user that typically uses a particular section of a website to which they have created a shortcut may need to go through similar steps each time they wish to use that section of the website: select the website shortcut icon, wait for the website to load, then navigate through the website until the particular section of the website is available. These repetitive steps to get to the functionality desired by the user are inefficient and create a negative user experience.
Thus, there is a need for an improved icon system.